United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/59/141
Distr.: General
25 February 2005
Fifty-ninth session
Agenda item 39 (a)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 15 December 2004
[without reference to a Main Committee (A/59/L.49 and Add.1)]
59/141. Strengthening of the coordination of emergency
humanitarian assistance of the United Nations
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 46/182 of 19 December 1991 and the guiding
principles contained in the annex thereto, other relevant General Assembly and
Economic and Social Council resolutions and agreed conclusions of the Council,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General, 1
Reaffirming the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality for the
provision of humanitarian assistance,
Recognizing that independence, meaning the autonomy of humanitarian
objectives from the political, economic, military or other objectives that any actor
may hold with regard to areas where humanitarian action is being implemented, is
also an important guiding principle for the provision of humanitarian assistance,
Gravely concerned that violence, including sexual abuse and sexual and other
violence against women, girls and boys, continues to be, in many emergency
situations, deliberately directed against civilian populations,
Gravely concerned also about the lack of access by humanitarian personnel to
victims of humanitarian emergencies, in particular in armed conflict and in postconflict situations, in many regions of the world,
Reaffirming the responsibility first and foremost of States to take care of the
victims of humanitarian emergencies within their own borders, while recognizing
that the magnitude and duration of many emergencies may be beyond the response
capacity of many affected countries,
Reaffirming also that States whose populations are in need of humanitarian
assistance are called upon to facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations and
that States in proximity to humanitarian emergencies are urged to facilitate, to the
extent possible, the transit of humanitarian assistance,
_______________
1
04-48472
A/59/93-E/2004/74.